On the night of November 7, nine games took place as part of the NBA regular season, which coincided with the group stage of the League Cup. The slate featured several compelling storylines: Trae Young's return to Atlanta in a new team's uniform, LeBron James's arrival in Cleveland as a member of Philadelphia, and another stellar performance by Luka Doncic in Lakers gear. Below are the main takeaways and statistics from the key matchups of the night.
Atlanta edges Washington at home in high-scoring affair
The Hawks defeated the Wizards 139:132 (28:32, 38:27, 39:35, 34:38), claiming their third consecutive victory and posting a season-high 139 points. Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the winners with 28 points, Lou Williams added 25, and Onyeka Okongwu chipped in 22. The hosts' 53% shooting from the field proved decisive. Trae Young added extra intrigue by playing in Atlanta against his former team for the first time: he scored 23 points and dished out 10 assists for Washington, while Keyshawn George led the visitors with 33 points (plus 23 from Tre Johnson).
Boston crushes Charlotte, ties franchise record
The Celtics left no chance for the Hornets on the road, winning 119:80 (20:40, 19:30, 18:26, 23:23). Jayson Tatum posted 34 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists, while Derrick White added 18. Boston seized control in the first quarter, winning it 40:20: Tatum scored 18 points in the opening ten minutes alone, and the team hit 17 three-pointers in the first half, tying the franchise record. Naz Reid led the hosts with 14 points. The Celtics secured their seventh win in the last eight games and continued their successful run in the NBA Cup group stage.
LeBron James returns to Cleveland in Sixers uniform
The main event of the Cleveland vs. Philadelphia matchup (119:95; 33:22, 29:32, 29:20, 28:21) was LeBron James returning to his hometown, but this time wearing a Seventy-Sixers uniform. The star forward played 31 minutes but scored only 8 points, shooting 3-of-12 from the field and missing all of his three-point attempts. Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers to victory with 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Evan Mobley added 22. For the visitors, Jaylen Brown scored 20 points, Jase Febres (or J. Edgecombe) added 19, Tyrese Maxey had 17, and Joel Embiid missed all nine of his field goal attempts, finishing the game with 6 points.
Dallas and Oklahoma City snap opponent streaks
The Mavericks defeated Utah at home 112:100 (26:28, 31:29, 32:19, 23:24). Following a tied first half (57:57), the third quarter decided the game: P.J. Washington scored 26 points, Cooper Flagg recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists, and Kyrie Irving added 14. For the Jazz, Lauri Markkanen scored 24 points with eight three-pointers, and Darryn Peterson added 21; Utah suffered its seventh straight loss, while Dallas snapped a two-game skid. On the road, Oklahoma City handled Memphis 128:97 (28:35, 21:36, 27:27, 21:30): Ajay Mitchell scored a career-high 35 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 28, and Jared McCain had 21. The visitors shot 55% and converted 18 opponent turnovers into 30 points, extending their winning streak against the Grizzlies to 16 games.
Minnesota rallies against Pelicans
The Timberwolves beat New Orleans on the road 115:109. Ayo Dosunmu led the winners with 26 points, Jaden McDaniels added 23, and LaMelo Ball had 22 points and 8 assists. The hosts entered the final quarter with a two-point lead, but the visitors won the period 38:30. For the Pelicans, Jeremiah Fears scored 24 points, Saddiq Bey added 17, and Zion Williamson finished with 13 points, his lowest scoring output of the season.
Lakers and Luka Doncic defeat Portland
The concluding highlight of the night was the Lakers' victory over Portland, with Luka Doncic playing a key role. According to the night's review, it was his phenomenal performance that allowed the Los Angeles team to prevail; this is also confirmed by match footage, where Doncic in a white Lakers jersey with number 77 looks confident and locked in. Detailed statistics for this matchup are not provided in the review, but the result solidified a successful game day for the Lakers in the League Cup.
